U.S. patent number 7,872,675 [Application Number 11/263,587] was granted by the patent office on 2011-01-18 for saved-image management.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Invention Science Fund I, LLC. Invention is credited to Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud.
United States Patent |
7,872,675 |
Levien , et al. |
January 18, 2011 |
Saved-image management
Abstract
Embodiments include an apparatus, device, system,
computer-program product, and method. In an embodiment, a device
includes a user-accessible digital storage medium, and a storage
medium manager module. The storage manager module includes a
storage manager module operable to save a digital image in a form
in the user-accessible digital storage medium, and then alter the
form of the saved digital image if a condition is met.
Inventors: |
Levien; Royce A. (Lexington,
MA), Lord; Robert W. (Seattle, WA), Malamud; Mark A.
(Seattle, WA) |
Assignee: |
The Invention Science Fund I,
LLC (Bellevue, WA)
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Family
ID: |
37727784 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/263,587 |
Filed: |
October 31, 2005 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20060274163 A1 |
Dec 7, 2006 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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11143970 |
Jun 2, 2005 |
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11190516 |
Jul 26, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
348/231.1;
348/143; 348/231.3; 348/333.11; 348/231.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N
1/00137 (20130101); H04N 1/2112 (20130101); H04N
1/00954 (20130101); H04N 1/00148 (20130101); H04N
1/32101 (20130101); H04N 2201/33328 (20130101); H04N
2201/212 (20130101); H04N 2201/0087 (20130101); H04N
2201/33357 (20130101); H04N 2201/0084 (20130101); H04N
2201/214 (20130101); H04N 2101/00 (20130101); H04N
2201/3225 (20130101); H04N 2201/33378 (20130101); H04N
2201/3274 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04N
5/76 (20060101); H04N 7/18 (20060101); H04N
5/222 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;348/211,211.2,211.3,231.2,143-160,47,211.11,211.1,231.1,14.12,208.13,333.11,231.3,208.12,333.12
;725/105 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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H09-018762 |
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Jan 1997 |
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JP |
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10023303 |
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Jan 1998 |
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JP |
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2001-309236 |
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Nov 2001 |
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JP |
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2002-094862 |
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Mar 2002 |
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JP |
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2003-009044 |
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Jan 2003 |
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JP |
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WO 2005/078597 |
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Aug 2005 |
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WO |
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Other References
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Primary Examiner: Ye; Lin
Assistant Examiner: Camargo; Marly
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lee & Hayes, PLLC
Parent Case Text
PRIORITY CLAIM, CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION, AND
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
The present application is related to and claims the benefit of the
earliest available effective filing date(s) from the following
listed application(s) (the "Related Applications") (e.g., claims
earliest available priority dates for other than provisional patent
applications or claims benefits under 35 USC .sctn.119(e) for
provisional patent applications, for any and all parent,
grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of the Related
Application(s)).
RELATED APPLICATIONS
For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the present
application constitutes a continuation in part of United States
patent application entitled ESTIMATING SHARED IMAGE DEVICE
OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES OR RESOURCES, naming Edward K. Y. Jung,
Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, and John D.
Rinaldo, Jr. as inventors, filed Jun. 2, 2005, Ser. No. 11/143,970,
which is currently co-pending, or is an application of which a
currently co-pending application listed as a Related Application is
entitled to the benefit of the filing date;
For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the present
application constitutes a continuation in part of United States
patent application entitled SHARED IMAGE DEVICE DESIGNATION, naming
Edward K. Y. Jung, Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A.
Malamud, and John D. Rinaldo, Jr. as inventors, filed Jul. 26,
2005, Ser. No. 11/190,516, which is currently co-pending, or is an
application of which a currently co-pending application listed as a
Related Application is entitled to the benefit of the filing date.
Claims
We claim:
1. A digital camera, comprising: an image acquisition module for
capturing an image; a nontransitory computer readable medium; and
an image management unit associated with a processor for: (i)
saving a captured image at a first resolution in a user-accessible
data structure in the computer readable medium and in a
user-accessible form; (ii) decreasing the resolution of the saved
captured image at the first resolution in the user-accessible data
structure by saving the captured image at a second resolution less
than the first resolution if a condition is met, the condition
comprising capturing a second image that is determined to be
duplicative or repetitive of the saved captured image; and (iii)
removing the captured image at the first resolution from the
user-accessible data structure if the condition is met.
2. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image acquisition
module for capturing an image includes: an image acquisition module
for capturing a still image, an image stream, and/or a combination
of a still image and an image stream.
3. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image acquisition
module for capturing an image includes: an image acquisition module
for capturing at least one of a visual image, an audio image,
and/or a combination of a visual image and an audio image.
4. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image acquisition
module for capturing an image includes: an image acquisition module
for capturing an image in response to a received instruction from
another digital camera.
5. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the nontransitory
computer readable medium includes a non-volatile computer storage
device.
6. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the nontransitory
computer readable medium includes a non-volatile nontransitory
computer readable medium.
7. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the nontransitory
computer readable medium includes a removable non-volatile
nontransitory computer readable medium.
8. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image management unit
associated with a processor for saving a captured image at a first
resolution in a user-accessible data structure in the nontransitory
computer readable medium and in a user-accessible form includes: an
image management unit associated with a processor for saving a
captured image at a resolution in the nontransitory computer
readable medium and in a user-accessible album of images stored in
a nontransitory computer readable medium.
9. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image management unit
associated with a processor for saving a captured image at a first
resolution in a user-accessible data structure in the nontransitory
computer readable medium and in a user-accessible form includes: an
image management unit associated with a processor for saving a
captured image at a resolution in the nontransitory computer
readable medium and in a user-accessible collection of images
stored in a nontransitory computer readable medium.
10. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image management
unit associated with a processor for decreasing the resolution of
the saved captured image at the first resolution in the
user-accessible data structure by saving the captured image at a
second resolution less than the first resolution if a condition is
met includes: an image management unit associated with a processor
for decreasing the resolution of the saved captured image in the
nontransitory computer readable medium using a lossy compression
algorithm if a condition is met.
11. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image management
unit associated with a processor for decreasing the resolution of
the saved captured image at the first resolution in the
user-accessible data structure by saving the captured image at a
second resolution less than the first resolution if a condition is
met includes: an image management unit associated with a processor
for decreasing the resolution of the saved captured image in the
nontransitory computer readable medium if a time for displaying the
saved captured image does not exceed a preselected time
threshold.
12. The digital camera of claim 11, wherein the preselected time
threshold exceeds five seconds.
13. The digital camera of claim 11, wherein the preselected time
threshold exceeds at least a selected one of ten seconds, thirty
seconds, one minute, thirty minutes, ninety minutes, five hours,
twelve hours, one day, one week, one month, or one year.
14. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image management
unit associated with a processor for decreasing the resolution of
the saved captured image at the first resolution in the
user-accessible data structure by saving the captured image at a
second resolution less than the first resolution if a condition is
met includes: an image management unit associated with a processor
for decreasing the resolution of the saved captured image in the
nontransitory computer readable medium if a time value is framed by
a preselected time window.
15. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image management
unit associated with a processor for decreasing the resolution of
the saved captured image at the first resolution in the
user-accessible data structure by saving the captured image at a
second resolution less than the first resolution if a condition is
met includes: an image management unit associated with a processor
for decreasing the resolution of the saved captured image in the
nontransitory computer readable medium if a condition is met where
the condition corresponds to at least one of a storage space
availability in the nontransitory computer readable medium, a user
established parameter, a preselected content of the image, and/or a
parameter established by a storage management algorithm.
16. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image management
unit associated with a processor for decreasing the resolution of
the saved captured image at the first resolution in the
user-accessible data structure by saving the captured image at a
second resolution less than the first resolution if a condition is
met includes: an image management unit associated with a processor
for decreasing the resolution of the saved captured image in the
nontransitory computer readable medium if a condition independent
of the operation to save a captured image at a resolution in the
nontransitory computer readable medium is met.
17. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image management
unit associated with a processor for decreasing the resolution of
the saved captured image at the first resolution in the
user-accessible data structure by saving the captured image at a
second resolution less than the first resolution if a condition is
met includes: an image management unit associated with a processor
for decreasing the resolution of the saved captured image in the
nontransitory computer readable medium if a condition responsive to
an examination of at least one other captured image saved in the
nontransitory computer readable medium is met.
18. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image management
unit further includes an image management unit for: (iv) further
decreasing the resolution of the captured image saved in the
nontransitory computer readable medium if another condition is
met.
19. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the digital camera
further comprises a processing unit.
20. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image management
unit is further for: decreasing the resolution of the saved
captured image at the second resolution if the saved captured image
at the second resolution is not displayed for a predetermined
amount of time after the resolution has been decreased.
21. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image management
unit is further for: examining a content or context of one or more
saved captured images for repetitiveness or duplication upon
capturing an additional image.
22. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image management
unit associated with a processor for decreasinq the resolution of
the saved captured image at the first resolution in the
user-accessible data structure by saving the captured image at a
second resolution less than the first resolution if a condition is
met includes: aggregating the saved captured image with a second
saved captured image.
Description
All subject matter of the Related Applications and of any and all
parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of the
Related Applications is incorporated herein by reference to the
extent such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith.
SUMMARY
An embodiment provides a digital camera. The digital camera
includes an image acquisition module operable to capture an image,
a computer readable medium, and an image management module. The
image management module includes operability to save a captured
image at a resolution in the computer readable medium and in a
user-accessible form. The image management module also provides
operability to decrease the resolution of the saved captured image
in the computer readable medium if a condition is met. The image
management module may further include an image management module
operable to further decrease the resolution of the captured image
saved in the computer readable medium if another condition is met.
In addition to the foregoing, other digital camera embodiments are
described in the claims, drawings, and text form a part of the
present application.
Another embodiment provides a method. The method includes writing a
captured image at a resolution in a computer readable medium and in
a user-accessible form. The method also includes decreasing the
resolution of the written captured image in the computer readable
medium if a condition is met. The method may include further
decreasing the resolution of the written captured image in the
computer readable medium if another condition is met. In addition
to the foregoing, other method embodiments are described in the
claims, drawings, and text form a part of the present
application.
A further embodiment provides device. The device includes an image
acquisition module operable to capture an image, a computer
readable medium, and an image administration circuit. The image
administration circuit includes circuitry for saving a captured
image at a first resolution in the computer readable medium. The
image administration circuit also includes circuitry for saving the
captured image in the computer readable medium at a second
resolution that is less than the first resolution and removing the
captured image saved at the first resolution from the computer
readable medium, if a condition is met. The image administration
circuit may include circuitry for saving the captured image in the
computer readable medium at a third resolution that is less than
the second resolution and removing from the computer readable
medium the captured image saved at the second resolution if another
condition is met. In addition to the foregoing, other device
embodiments are described in the claims, drawings, and text form a
part of the present application.
An embodiment provides a method. The method includes saving a
photograph in a computer readable medium, the photograph being
written in a first digital file having a first file size and an
availability to a user. The method also includes, if a condition is
met, saving the photograph in a second digital file having a second
and smaller file size than the first file size, and removing the
first digital file having a first file size from the computer
readable medium. In addition to the foregoing, other method
embodiments are described in the claims, drawings, and text form a
part of the present application.
Another embodiment provides a method. The method includes saving a
first image at a first resolution of the first image in a
user-accessible data structure. The method also includes saving a
second image at a first resolution of the second image in the
user-accessible data structure. The method further includes, if a
first condition is met, saving in the user-accessible data
structure the first image at a second resolution of the first image
that is a lesser resolution than the first resolution of the first
image, and removing from the user-accessible data structure the
first image saved at the first resolution of the first image. In
addition to the foregoing, other method embodiments are described
in the claims, drawings, and text form a part of the present
application.
A further embodiment provides a device. The device includes means
for saving a captured image at resolution in a computer readable
medium and in a user-accessible form. The device also includes
means for decreasing the resolution of the saved captured image in
the computer readable medium if a condition is met. In addition to
the foregoing, other device embodiments are described in the
claims, drawings, and text form a part of the present
application.
An embodiment provides a device. The device includes means for
saving a photograph in a computer readable medium, the photograph
being saved in a first digital file having a first file size and an
availability to a human user. The device also includes means for
saving the photograph in a second digital file having a second and
smaller file size than the first file size and removing the first
digital file having a first file size from the computer readable
medium, if a condition is met. In addition to the foregoing, other
device embodiments are described in the claims, drawings, and text
form a part of the present application.
Another embodiment provides a device. The device includes means for
saving a first image at a first resolution in a user-accessible
data structure. The device also includes means for saving a second
image at a first resolution of the second image in the
user-accessible data structure. The device further includes means
for saving in the user-accessible data structure the first image at
a second resolution of the first image that is a lesser resolution
than the first resolution of the first image and removing from the
user-accessible data structure the first image saved at the first
resolution of the first image if a first condition is met. In
addition to the foregoing, other device embodiments are described
in the claims, drawings, and text form a part of the present
application.
A further embodiment provides a method. The method includes saving
a digital image in a form in a user-accessible storage medium. The
method also includes altering the form of the saved digital image
if a condition is met. In addition to the foregoing, other method
embodiments are described in the claims, drawings, and text form a
part of the present application.
An embodiment provides a device. The device includes a
user-accessible digital storage medium, and a storage medium
manager module. The storage manager module includes a storage
manager module operable to save a digital image in a form in the
user-accessible digital storage medium, and then alter the form of
the saved digital image if a condition is met. In addition to the
foregoing, other device embodiments are described in the claims,
drawings, and text form a part of the present application.
Another embodiment provides a computer program product. The
computer program product includes program instructions operable to
perform a process in a computing device. The process includes
saving a digital image in a form in a user-accessible storage
medium, and altering the form of the saved digital image if a
condition is met. The computer program product also includes a
computer-readable signal-bearing medium bearing the program
instructions. The process may include providing the altered form of
the saved image. In addition to the foregoing, other computer
program product embodiments are described in the claims, drawings,
and text form a part of the present application.
A further embodiment provides a device. The device includes means
for saving a digital image in a form in the digital storage medium.
The device also includes means for altering the form of the saved
digital image if a condition is met. In addition to the foregoing,
other device embodiments are described in the claims, drawings, and
text form a part of the present application.
An embodiment provides a method. The method includes saving a
captured image in a user-accessible memory. The method also
includes deallocating at least a portion of the user-accessible
memory associated with the saved captured image if a condition is
met. In addition to the foregoing, other method embodiments are
described in the claims, drawings, and text form a part of the
present application.
Another embodiment provides a device. The device includes a memory,
and a memory manager. The memory manager is operable to save a
captured image into a user-accessible memory, and deallocate at
least a portion of the memory associated with the resolution if a
condition is met. In addition to the foregoing, other device
embodiments are described in the claims, drawings, and text form a
part of the present application.
A further embodiment provides a device. The device includes first
means for a holding user-accessible digital data representative of
an image. The device also includes second means for saving
user-accessible digital data representative of an image in the
first means. The device further includes third means for altering
the saved user-accessible digital data representative of the saved
digital image if a condition is met.
An embodiment provides a computer program product. The computer
program product includes program instructions operable to perform a
process in a computing device, and a computer-readable
signal-bearing medium bearing the program instructions. The process
includes saving a captured image in a memory and in a
user-accessible form, and deallocating at least a portion of the
memory associated with the saved captured image if a condition is
met. In addition to the foregoing, other computer program product
embodiments are described in the claims, drawings, and text form a
part of the present application.
Another embodiment provides a method. The method includes directing
digital data representative of an image to a managed means for
holding the digital data representative of an image. The method
also includes accepting modified digital data representative of the
image, the digital data representative of the image having been
modified by deallocating at least a portion of the digital data
representative of the image by the managed means for holding
digital data upon occurrence of a condition. In addition to the
foregoing, other method embodiments are described in the claims,
drawings, and text form a part of the present application.
The foregoing is a summary and thus by necessity contains
simplifications, generalizations and omissions of detail.
Consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way
limiting. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the
devices and/or processes described herein, as defined by the
claims, will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the
following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates the exemplary system that includes a thin
computing device 20 that may interface with an electronic
device;
FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary system in which embodiments may be
implemented;
FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary system in which embodiments may be
implemented;
FIGS. 4A-C illustrate an exemplary operation that decreases the
resolution of the saved captured image in the computer readable
medium;
FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary operational flow;
FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow of FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow of FIG. 5;
FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow of FIG. 5;
FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary environment in which embodiments
may be implemented;
FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary operational flow;
FIG. 12 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow of FIG. 11;
FIG. 13 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow of FIG. 11;
FIG. 14 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow of FIG. 11;
FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary operational flow;
FIG. 16 illustrates another embodiment of the exemplary operational
flow of FIG. 15;
FIG. 17 illustrates a further embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow of FIG. 15;
FIG. 18 illustrates a further embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow of FIG. 15;
FIG. 19 illustrates another embodiment of the exemplary operational
flow of FIG. 15;
FIGS. 20A-D illustrates an embodiment of the exemplary operational
flow of FIG. 16;
FIG. 21 illustrates an exemplary device in which embodiments may be
implemented;
FIG. 22 illustrates another exemplary device in which embodiments
may be implemented;
FIG. 23 illustrates a further exemplary device in which embodiments
may be implemented;
FIG. 24 illustrates an exemplary operational flow in which
embodiments may be implemented;
FIG. 25 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow of FIG. 24;
FIG. 26 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow of FIG. 24;
FIG. 27 illustrates a further alternative embodiment of the
exemplary operational flow of FIG. 24;
FIG. 28 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow of FIG. 24;
FIG. 29 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow of FIG. 24; and
FIG. 30 illustrates an exemplary system in which embodiments may be
implemented.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments,
reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part
hereof. In the several figures, like referenced numerals identify
like elements. The detailed description and the drawings illustrate
exemplary embodiments. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other
changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of
the subject matter presented here. The following detailed
description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense, and
the scope of the claimed subject matter is defined by the appended
claims.
FIG. 1 provides a brief, general description of an illustrative
and/or suitable exemplary environment in which embodiments may be
implemented. In FIG. 1, as in the other figures, the figure is an
example of an environment and does not suggest any limitation as to
the structure, scope of use, or functionality of an embodiment. An
embodiment should not be interpreted as having any dependency or
requirement relating to any one or combination of components
illustrated in an exemplary environment. For example, in certain
instances, elements of an environment and/or a method may be deemed
not necessary and omitted. In other instances, other elements may
be deemed necessary and added.
FIG. 1 illustrates the exemplary system that includes a thin
computing device 20 that may interface with an electronic device
(not shown). The electronic device may include one or more
functional elements 51. For example, the electronic device may
include any item having electrical and/or electronic components
playing a role in a functionality of the item, such as a limited
resource computing device, a game console, a digital camera, a cell
phone, a printer, a refrigerator, a car, and an airplane. The thin
computing device includes a processing unit 21, a system memory 22,
and a system bus 23 that couples various system components
including the system memory to the processing unit. The system bus
may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory
bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using
any of a variety of bus architectures. The system memory includes
read-only memory (ROM) 24 and random access memory (RAM) 25. A
basic input/output system (BIOS) 26, containing the basic routines
that help to transfer information between sub-components within the
thin computing device, such as during start-up, is stored in the
ROM. A number of program modules may be stored in the ROM and/or
RAM, including an operating system 28, one or more application
programs 29, other program modules 30, and program data 31.
A user may enter commands and information into the computing device
20 through user input devices, such as a number of switches and
buttons, illustrated as hardware buttons 44, which may be
associated with the electronic device and connected via a suitable
interface 45. Input devices may further include a touch-sensitive
display screen 32 with suitable input detection circuitry 33. The
output circuitry of the touch-sensitive display screen is connected
to the system bus 23 via a video driver 37. Other input devices may
include a microphone 34 connected through a suitable audio
interface 35, and a physical hardware keyboard (not shown). In
addition to the display 32, the computing device 20 may include
other peripheral output devices, such as at least one speaker
38.
Other external input or output devices 39, such as a joystick, game
pad, satellite dish, scanner, an external computer readable medium,
or the like may be connected to the processing unit 21 through a
USB port 40 and USB port interface 41, to the system bus 23.
Alternatively, the other external input and output devices 39 may
be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, game
port or other port. The computing device 20 may further include or
be capable of connecting to a flash card memory (not shown) through
an appropriate connection port (not shown). The computing device
may further include or be capable of a connection with a network
through a network port 42 and network interface 43, and/or through
wireless port 46 and corresponding wireless interface 47. Such a
connection may be provided to facilitate communication with other
peripheral devices, including other computers, printers, and so on
(not shown). It will be appreciated that the various components and
connections shown are exemplary and other components and means of
establishing communications links may be used.
The computing device 20 may be designed to include a user interface
having a character, key-based, other user data input via the touch
sensitive display 32 using a stylus (not shown). Moreover, the user
interface is not limited to an actual touch-sensitive panel
arranged for directly receiving input, but may alternatively or in
addition respond to another input device, such as the microphone
34. For example, spoken words may be received at the microphone 34
and recognized. Alternatively, the computing device may be designed
to include a user interface having a physical keyboard (not
shown).
The device functional elements 51 are typically application
specific and related to a function of the electronic device. The
device functional elements are driven by a device functional
element(s) interface 50, which coupled with the system bus 23. A
functional element may typically perform a single well-defined task
with little or no user configuration or setup, such as a
refrigerator keeping food cold, a cell phone connecting with an
appropriate tower and transceiving voice or data information,
and/or a camera capturing and saving an image.
In the description that follows, certain embodiments may be
described with reference to acts and symbolic representations of
operations that are performed by one or more computing devices,
such as the thin computing device 20 of FIG. 1. As such, it will be
understood that such acts and operations, which are at times
referred to as being computer-executed, include the manipulation by
the processing unit of the computer of electrical signals
representing data in a structured form. This manipulation
transforms the data or maintains them at locations in the memory
system of the computer, which reconfigures or otherwise alters the
operation of the computer in a manner well understood by those
skilled in the art. The data structures in which data is maintained
are physical locations of the memory that have particular
properties defined by the format of the data. However, while an
embodiment is being described in the foregoing context, it is not
meant to be limiting as those of skill in the art will appreciate
that the acts and operations described hereinafter may also be
implemented in hardware.
Embodiments may be described in a general context of
computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being
executed by a computer. Generally, program modules include
routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc.,
that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data
types. An embodiment may also be practiced in a distributed
computing environment where tasks are performed by remote
processing devices that are linked through a communications
network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules
may be located in both local and remote computer storage media
including memory storage devices.
Embodiments may be implemented with numerous other general-purpose
or special-purpose computing devices, computing system
environments, and/or configurations. Examples of well-known
computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be
suitable for use with an embodiment include, but are not limited
to, personal computers, handheld or laptop devices, personal
digital assistants, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based
systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network,
minicomputers, server computers, game server computers, web server
computers, mainframe computers, and distributed computing
environments that include any of the above systems or devices.
FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary system 200 in which embodiments may
be implemented. The system includes a digital camera 210 having
image capture and image storage functionality. The digital camera
210 includes a computing device (not shown), such as the thin
computing device 20 described in conjunction with FIG. 1, that is
operable to interact with functional elements of the digital
camera. The digital camera also includes a plurality of user
interfaces 220. The plurality of interfaces 220 includes a display
232. In alternative embodiments, the display may provide a textual,
a visual display, and/or a graphical display. In a further
embodiment, the display may include touch screen functionality
operable to accept a user input. The plurality of user interfaces
of the camera also includes a microphone 234, a speaker 238, and a
plurality of tangible buttons 244A-244E. One or more of the
tangible buttons may include a light emitter, such as a light
emitting device 246A. Further, one or more of the tangible buttons
244A-244E may include a vibrator operable to provide a tactile
display. The display 232 and the tangible buttons 244A-244E may
have any functionality appropriate to the digital camera. For
example, the button 244E may be assigned to operate a camera
element, such as a shutter function. The button 244A may be
assigned an "enter" function, and buttons 244B and 244C may be
respectively assigned a scroll up and scroll down function relative
to a menu displayed on the display 232. The button 244D may be
assigned to operate another camera element, such as a lens zoom
function. The digital camera also includes context sensors 250,
which may be selected, for example, to produce relevant information
about an environment extrinsic to the digital camera. The context
sensors are illustrated as an external temperature sensor 252 and a
light intensity sensor 254. The digital camera further includes a
USB port 240, a network port 242, and/or a wireless port (not
shown).
In addition, the digital camera 210 includes a lens (not shown) and
an image acquisition module (not shown). The image acquisition
module controls the lens, a shutter, an aperture, and/or other
elements as necessary to capture an image through the lens. In an
embodiment, capturing images using digital cameras or camcorders
may be equated with photography as performed by conventional film
cameras. A captured image may be processed, stored, viewed, and/or
distributed by the digital camera. The digital camera also includes
a system memory (not shown), such as the system memory 22 of the
thin computing device 20 of FIG. 1. The system memory includes
saved operating systems and programs necessary to operate the
digital camera. In addition, the digital camera may include a
computer readable media (not shown), such as the computer readable
medium described in conjunction with FIG. 3 below.
The digital camera 210 includes operability to receive a user input
through an interface of the plurality of interfaces 220. For
example, in an embodiment, detecting a user touch to the button
244D may be received as an instruction and/or a selection. Another
detected user touch to another user interface of the plurality of
user interfaces 220 may be received as another instruction and/or a
selection. The user touch may be detected by a user interface
physically incorporated in the aspect of the digital camera 210 or
proximate thereto. In an alternative embodiment, an user input may
be received by detecting a signal responsive to a sound or voice
received by the microphone 234. For example, a detection and
recognition of a signal responsive to a spoken command to the
microphone 234 may be received as an instruction to activate a
program associated with the digital camera. Further, a detection of
a signal responsive to a sound or voice may be received by the
microphone 234.
FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary system 300 in which embodiments may
be implemented. The system includes a digital camera 310. The
digital camera includes an image acquisition module 320 operable to
capture an image, an image management module 330, and a computer
readable medium, illustrated as computer readable media 340.
In an embodiment, the digital camera 310 may include a computing
device (not expressly shown) that handles any required processing.
For example, the computing device may include at least a part of
the system described in conjunction with FIG. 1, including the thin
computing device 20, that may interface with at least one
functional element of the digital camera. In an embodiment, the
digital camera may include a processing unit, illustrated as a
processing unit 350, and a system memory 355, which may be
substantially similar to the processing unit 21 and the system
memory 22 respectively of FIG. 1. In another embodiment, the
digital camera may include at least a part of the exemplary system
200 and/or the digital camera 210 described in conjunction with
FIG. 2.
The image management module 330 includes an operability to save a
captured image at a resolution in the computer readable medium 340
and in a user-accessible form. In an embodiment, the operability to
save the captured image at a resolution in the computer readable
medium and in a user-accessible form includes an operability to
save a captured image in a format at least substantially suitable
for presentation by a visual display of the digital camera 310,
such as a display screen. For example, the operability to save a
captured image at a resolution in the computer readable medium and
in a user-accessible form may include an operability to save a
captured image at a resolution in a JPEG format, a GIF format, a
TIFF format, or a PDF format. In another embodiment, the
operability to save the captured image at a resolution in the
computer readable medium and in a user-accessible form includes an
operability to save the captured image at a resolution in the
computer readable medium after data representative of the captured
image has been decoded and processed from a raw format. Typically,
the raw data is decoded and/or processed from a raw format, i.e.,
raw image data, into a JPEG format, a GIF format, a TIFF format, or
a PDF format. In a further embodiment, the operability to save the
captured image at a resolution in the computer readable medium and
in a user-accessible form includes an operability to save the
captured image in a form accessible to a user of the digital camera
in the computer readable medium. For example, the form accessible
to a user of the digital camera may include a JPEG format, a GIF
format, a TIFF format, a PDF format, or a raw format where the
digital camera allows a user access to a saved captured image in a
raw format.
In an embodiment, an "image" may include a full image. In another
embodiment, an "image" may include a portion of an image, a segment
of a full image, a thumbnail of an image, and/or an icon that
pertains to an image. Another embodiment of an "image" may include
a photograph and/or a digital image that can be captured by an
image capture device such as, for example, the digital camera 310.
Certain embodiments of a streaming image may include a video that
may be captured by the digital camera, such as, for example, a
digital camcorder camera.
The term "resolution" may include an indication of a measurement of
image detail, such as may be expressed as pixels per inch, dots per
inch, or samples per inch, etc. In certain embodiments, a file size
of an image is a function of its resolution, and in certain
embodiments of relatively limited storage-capability cameras,
relatively few high-resolution images can be saved.
In another embodiment, a "user-accessible form" may include at
least one of a location in the computer readable medium that allows
a user to access a file saved therein, a file formatted to allow a
user of the digital camera 310 to view and/or manipulate the
captured image, a property of the captured image written to the
computer readable medium, and/or an organization of the computer
readable medium that allows a user to access a file saved therein.
For example, data indicative of the captured image written to a
hard drive in a JPEG format generally allows a user to view and/or
manipulate the captured image. In an embodiment, a user-accessible
storage medium may include all or any portion of any computer
readable storage medium that allows a user, typically through a
user interface, to act with respect to and/or interact with the
image, such as viewing the image, manipulating the image, and/or
directing the image to another location.
The image management module 330 also includes an operability to
decrease the resolution of the saved captured image in the computer
readable medium if a condition is met. In an embodiment, the
condition may include a condition corresponding in part or whole to
a state of the computer readable medium, a presence and/or absence
of a predetermined content of the saved captured image, a
characteristic of the saved image, an image storage administrative
criterion, and/or a temporal criterion. In a further embodiment, a
condition does not include an automatic or standing condition that
normally occurs upon completion of a processing, for example,
completion of decoding raw image data into a more machine usable
and/or user viewable format.
Examples of decreasing a resolution of a saved captured image
include, but are not limited to, changing a resolution of a saved
captured image, resampling a saved captured image, adjusting an
exposure of a saved captured image, adjusting some image content of
a saved captured image, and/or adjusting image composition of a
saved captured image. As described within this document, certain
embodiments of the decreasing a resolution of a saved captured
image are configurable to decrease the resolution of the image such
as by utilizing pixel-combination and/or combination of multiple
images. The decreasing a resolution of a saved captured image may
include altering image intensity and/or color values. The
decreasing a resolution of a saved captured image may in certain
embodiments, but not others, be equated to sizing the resolution of
an image downward, and may other embodiments be implemented by
removing pixels from the saved captured image. The decreasing a
resolution of a saved captured image may pertain in certain
embodiments, but not others, to altering the color values and/or
the color intensities of a particular image. The decreasing a
resolution of a saved captured image may pertain to decreasing the
density of the pixels forming the image. During a resolution
decreasing process, in certain embodiments of a display or
projector, a footprint of pixels may be suitably altered to
effectively change the resolution of the at least one image.
In an embodiment, the computer readable media 340 may include a
variety of computer readable media products. The computer readable
media may include any storage media accessible by a computing
device, and includes both removable and non-removable media. By way
of example, and not of limitation, computer-readable media may
include any computer storage media. Computer storage media includes
removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or
technology for storage of information such as computer-readable
instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data.
Computer storage media may include, but are not limited to,
magnetic devices, such as magnetic disk storage, magnetic
cassettes, magnetic tape, or other magnetic storage devices;
optical devices, such as CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD), or
other optical disk storage; memory cards, such a flash memory card;
and/or any other medium which may be used to store the captured
information and which can be accessed by a computing device.
Combinations of any of the above may also be included within the
scope of a computer-readable medium.
FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment where the computer readable media
340 includes at least one instance of a computer readable medium.
Illustrated instances of a computer readable medium include a
computer storage device 348, a non-removable non-volatile medium
346, and/or a removable non-volatile medium 344. In an embodiment,
the computer storage device may include any device capable of
storing data, such as, for example, a mass storage device, a disk
drive, and/or a tape drive. In another embodiment, the
non-removable non-volatile medium may include a non-volatile
magnetic disk or other medium. In a further embodiment, the
removable non-volatile medium may include an optical disk such as a
CD ROM, magnetic tape cassettes, flash memory cards, DVDs, and/or
digital video tape.
In an embodiment, the computer readable medium 340 includes a
non-volatile computer storage device. In another embodiment, the
computer readable medium includes a non-volatile computer readable
medium. In a further embodiment, the computer readable medium
includes a removable non-volatile computer readable medium.
In an embodiment, the image acquisition module 320 operable to
capture an image includes an image acquisition module operable to
capture a still image, an image stream, and/or a combination of a
still image and an image stream. In another embodiment, the image
acquisition module operable to capture an image includes an image
acquisition module operable to capture at least one of a visual
image, an audio image, and/or a combination of a visual image and
an audio image. In a further embodiment, the image acquisition
module operable to capture an image includes an image acquisition
module operable to capture an image in response to a received
instruction from another digital device. The received instruction
from another digital device may include an instruction received
from another digital camera. The received instruction may direct
capture of the image, or may include data responsive to which the
image acquisition module captures the image.
In an embodiment, the image management module 330 operable to save
a captured image at a resolution in a computer readable medium and
in a user-accessible form includes an image management module
operable to save a captured image at a resolution in the computer
readable medium and in a user-accessible album of images stored in
a computer readable medium. In another embodiment, the image
management module operable to save a captured image at a resolution
in a computer readable medium includes an image management module
operable to save a captured image at a resolution in the computer
readable medium and in a user-accessible collection of images
stored in a computer readable medium. In a further embodiment, the
image management module operable to save a captured image at a
resolution in the computer readable medium and in a user-accessible
form includes an image management module operable to save a
captured image at a resolution in a user-accessible data
structure.
In an embodiment, the image management module 330 operable to
decrease the resolution of the saved captured image in the computer
readable medium if a condition is met includes an image management
module operable to decrease the resolution of the saved captured
image in the computer readable medium using a lossy compression
algorithm if a condition is met. In another embodiment, the image
management module operable to decrease the resolution of the saved
captured image in the computer readable medium if a condition is
met includes an image management module operable to decrease the
resolution of the saved captured image in the computer readable
medium if a time exceeds a preselected time threshold. The
preselected time threshold may exceed five seconds. The preselected
time threshold may exceed at least a selected one of ten seconds,
thirty seconds, one minute, thirty minutes, ninety minutes, five
hours, twelve hours, one day, one week, one month, or one year.
In a further embodiment, the image management module 330 operable
to decrease the resolution of the saved captured image in the
computer readable medium if a condition is met includes an image
management module operable to decrease the resolution of the saved
captured image in the computer readable medium if a time value is
inside a preselected time window. In an embodiment, the image
management module operable to decrease the resolution of the saved
captured image in the computer readable medium if a condition is
met includes an image management module operable to decrease the
resolution of the saved captured image in the computer readable
medium if a condition is met where the condition corresponds to at
least one of a storage space availability in the computer readable
medium, a user established parameter, a preselected content of the
image, and/or a parameter established by a storage management
algorithm. In another embodiment, the image management module
operable to decrease the resolution of the saved captured image in
the computer readable medium if a condition is met includes an
image management module operable to decrease the resolution of the
saved captured image in the computer readable medium if a condition
independent of the operation to save a captured image at a
resolution in the computer readable medium is met. In a further
embodiment, the image management module operable to decrease the
resolution of the saved captured image in the computer readable
medium if a condition is met includes an image management module
operable to decrease the resolution of the saved captured image in
the computer readable medium if a condition responsive to an
examination of at least one other captured image saved in the
computer readable medium is met. For example, a condition
responsive to an examination of at least one other captured image
saved in the computer readable medium may include examining a
content and/or context of the at least one or more other saved
captured images for a repetition and/or duplication. If at least
one other saved captured image is examined and found to be
repetitive and/or duplicative of the saved captured image, the
condition would be met and the image management module would
operate to reduce the resolution of the saved captured image. In an
alternative embodiment, the image management module may include an
operability to reduce the resolution of the at least one other
saved image in response to the condition being met.
In an embodiment, the image management module 330 may further
include an image management module operable to further decrease the
resolution of the captured image saved in the computer readable
medium if another condition is met.
FIGS. 4A-C illustrate an exemplary operation 400 that decreases the
resolution of the saved captured image in the computer readable
medium. The operation is described using the exemplary system 300
and the digital camera 310 of FIG. 3 as an example. In operation of
an embodiment of the exemplary system, a user may compose a picture
by orientating the lens 360 toward a subject in a scene. The user
may communicate their preferences about the intended picture to the
digital camera using elements of the user interface 370. Upon
shutter activation, an imaging chip 322 of the image acquisition
module 320 generates electrical signals corresponding to the scene
in a raw-format. A processing unit 350 and/or an image management
module 330 of the digital camera decodes and/or processes the
raw-format image of the scene into a format, such as a JPEG format,
a GIF format, a TIFF format, or a PDF format. The decoding and/or
processing typically involve the system memory 355 of FIG. 3. The
image management module 330 then saves the captured image in a
post-decoded/processed format, such as the JPEG format, at an
initial resolution 410 in the computer readable medium 340. FIG. 4A
illustrates the saved captured image in the post-decoded/processed
format, such as a JPEG format, in the file at, at the initial
resolution 410 in the computer readable medium. Typically, the file
will have an initial file size measured in bytes.
If a condition is met, the image management module 330 decreases
the resolution of the saved captured image in the computer readable
medium 340 from the initial resolution 410 to a decreased
resolution 415. For example, a condition may include whether a user
has not caused the digital camera 310 to display the captured saved
image at the initial resolution 410 for more than ten seconds in
the 30 days immediately after the image was captured. The image
management module monitors for the condition being met. If the
condition is met, i.e., a user has not caused the digital camera to
display the saved captured image at the initial resolution for more
than 10 seconds during the 30 days after the image was captured,
the image management module decreases the resolution of the saved
captured image in the computer readable medium. The resolution of
the saved captured image is decreased from the initial resolution
410 to a lesser or decreased resolution, illustrated as the
decreased resolution 415.
If another condition is met, the image management module 330 may
further decrease the decreased resolution 415 of the saved captured
image in the computer readable medium 340. For example, a condition
may include whether a user has not caused the digital camera 310 to
display the captured saved image at its decreased resolution 415
for more than ninety seconds during the 90 days after the
resolution was reduced from the file 410. If the condition is met,
i.e., a user has not caused the digital camera to display the saved
captured image for more than ninety seconds during the 90 days
after the saved captured image was reduced, the image management
module further decreases the resolution of the written captured
image in the computer readable medium. The resolution is decreased
from the decreased resolution 415 to a further decreased
resolution, illustrated as a further decreased resolution 420. In
an embodiment, each decreased resolution is selected to use less
file storage space in the computer readable medium than its
predecessor does. In an embodiment, less viewed or lower
user-valued files have their resolution degraded over time to
maximize available storage capacity for newly captured images
and/or frequently viewed images.
FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary operational flow 600. The exemplary
operational flow may be implemented in the exemplary system 300
described in conjunction with FIG. 3. After a start operation, a
storage operation 610 writes a captured image at a resolution in a
computer readable medium and in a user-accessible form. A
transformation operation 630 decreases the resolution of the
written captured image in the computer readable medium if a
condition is met. The operational flow then proceeds to an end
operation.
FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow 600 of FIG. 5. The storage operation 610 may
include at least one additional operation. The at least one
additional operation may include an operation 612, and/or an
operation 614. The operation 612 writes an image captured by a
digital camera at a resolution in a computer readable medium
associated with a digital camera and in a user-accessible form. The
operation 614 writes an image captured by a digital camera at a
resolution and in a user-accessible form, the captured image being
written in at least one of an album of images, and/or a collection
of images stored in a computer readable medium.
FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow 600 of FIG. 5. The transformation operation 630
may include at least one additional operation. The at least one
additional operation may include an operation 632, and/or an
operation 636. The operation 632 decreases the resolution of the
written captured image in the computer readable medium if a
preselected time has elapsed after the writing of the captured
image at a resolution in the computer readable medium. The
operation 632 may include at least one additional operation, such
as the operation 634. At the operation 634, the preselected time
includes at least a selected one of five seconds, ten seconds,
thirty seconds, one minute, thirty minutes, ninety minutes, five
hours, twelve hours, one day, one week, one month, or one year. The
operation 636 decreases the resolution of the written captured
image in the computer readable medium if at least one of an
available storage space in the computer readable medium is less
than a preselected amount, a condition established by a user is
met, and/or a criterion corresponding to a storage management
algorithm is met.
FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow 600 of FIG. 5. The operational flow may be
implemented in a handheld digital camera 646. The transformation
operation 630 may include at least one additional operation. The
additional operation may include an operation 638, an operation
640, and/or an operation 642. The operation 638 decreases the
resolution of the written captured image in the computer readable
medium if a condition is met that is not related to the writing a
captured image at resolution in a computer readable medium. The
operation 640 decreases the resolution of the written captured
image in the computer readable medium if a condition responsive to
data received from a device associated with another computer
readable medium is met. When the operational flow is implemented in
a digital camera, the operation 642 decreases the resolution of the
written captured image in the computer readable medium if a
condition responsive to data received from another digital device
is met.
FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow 600 of FIG. 5. The operational flow may include at
least one additional operation, such as an operation 650. The
operation 650 further decreases the resolution of the written
captured image in the computer readable medium if another condition
is met.
FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary environment 700 in which
embodiments may be implemented. The exemplary environment includes
a device 710, which may include elements that are at least
substantially similar to the digital camera 310 of FIG. 3. The
device includes an image acquisition module 720 operable to capture
an image, a computer readable medium, illustrated as a computer
readable media 740, and an image administration circuit 730. The
image administration circuit includes an image administration
circuit for saving a captured image at a first resolution in the
computer readable medium. The image administration circuit also
includes a image administration circuit for saving the captured
image in the computer readable medium at a second resolution that
is less than the first resolution, and for removing the captured
image saved at the first resolution from the computer readable
medium, both if a condition is met.
In an embodiment, the image administration circuit 730 for saving a
captured image in the computer readable medium at a first
resolution includes an image administration circuit for saving a
captured image at a first resolution in at least one of a
nonvolatile, a removable, and/or non-removable media implemented in
any method and/or technology for storage of digital information. In
another embodiment, the image acquisition module 720 operable to
capture an image includes an image acquisition module operable to
capture at least one of a still image, an image stream, and/or a
combination of a still image and an image stream. In a further
embodiment, the image acquisition module operable to capture an
image includes an image acquisition module operable to capture at
least one of visual image, an audio image, and/or a combination of
a visual image and an audio image.
In an embodiment, the image acquisition module 720 operable to
capture an image includes an image acquisition module operable to
capture a real-world image. In another embodiment, the image
administration circuit 730 for saving a captured image at a first
resolution in the computer readable medium includes an image
administration circuit for saving a captured real-world image at a
first resolution in the computer readable medium. In a further
embodiment, the image acquisition module operable to capture an
image includes an image acquisition module operable to capture a
virtual-world image. In another embodiment, the image
administration circuit for saving a captured image at a first
resolution in the computer readable medium includes an image
administration circuit for saving a captured virtual-world image at
a first resolution in the computer readable medium.
In another embodiment, the image administration circuit 730 for
saving a captured image at a first resolution in the computer
readable medium includes an image administration circuit for saving
a captured image at a first resolution in the computer readable
medium and in a user-accessible form. In a further embodiment, the
image administration circuit for saving a captured image at a first
resolution in the computer readable medium and in a user-accessible
form includes an image administration circuit for saving a captured
image at a first resolution in the computer readable medium and in
a user-accessible location. In an embodiment, the image
administration circuit for saving a captured image at a first
resolution in the computer readable medium and in a user-accessible
form includes an image administration circuit for saving a captured
image at a first resolution in a computer readable medium that
allows user access to the saved captured image. In a further
embodiment, the image administration circuit for saving a captured
image at a first resolution in the computer readable medium and in
a user-accessible form includes an image administration circuit for
saving a captured image at a first resolution in a computer
readable medium configured for user access to the saved captured
image.
In an embodiment, the image administration circuit 730 for saving
the captured image in the computer readable medium at a second
resolution that is less than the first resolution includes an image
administration circuit for saving the captured image in the
computer readable medium at a resolution reduced from the first
resolution. In another embodiment, the image administration circuit
for saving the captured image in the computer readable medium at a
second resolution that is less than the first resolution if a
condition is met includes an image administration circuit for
saving the captured image in the computer readable medium at a
second resolution where at least a portion of the saved captured
image has a resolution less than the first resolution. In a further
embodiment, the image administration circuit for saving the
captured image in the computer readable medium at a second
resolution that is less than the first resolution includes an image
administration circuit for reducing the resolution of the captured
image from the first resolution into the second resolution and for
saving the captured image in the computer readable medium at the
second resolution. In an embodiment, the image administration
circuit for saving the captured image in the computer readable
medium at a second resolution that is less than the first
resolution includes an image administration circuit for reducing
the resolution of at least one selected frame of a streaming
captured image from the first resolution into the second resolution
and not reducing at least one other selected frame of the streaming
captured image.
In an embodiment, the image administration circuit 730 for removing
the captured image saved at the first resolution from the computer
readable medium includes an image administration circuit for
deleting the captured image saved at the first resolution from the
computer readable medium. In another embodiment, the image
administration circuit for removing the captured image saved at the
first resolution from the computer readable medium includes an
image administration circuit for communicating the captured image
saved at the first resolution to another computer readable medium.
In an embodiment, the another computer readable medium may be
physically associated with the device. In further embodiment, the
another computer readable medium may not physically associated with
the device.
In an embodiment, the image administration circuit 730 for
communicating the captured image saved at the first resolution to
another computer readable medium includes an image administration
circuit for communicating the captured image saved at the first
resolution to another computer readable medium and acquiring a
track-back link to the communicated captured image. In another
embodiment, the image administration circuit for removing the
captured image saved at the first resolution from the computer
readable medium includes an image administration circuit for
communicating the captured image saved at the first resolution to
at least one of another computer readable medium that is a less
accessible computer readable medium, a slower computer readable
medium, a cheaper computer readable medium, a temporarily available
computer readable medium, an intermittently available computer
readable medium, a more secure computer readable medium, a less
secure computer readable medium, a public computer readable medium,
a private computer readable medium, and/or a computer readable
medium that is less accessible in terms of a location and/or a rate
and/or a format.
In an embodiment, the image administration circuit 730 for saving
the captured image in the computer readable medium at a second
resolution that is less than the first resolution if a condition is
met includes an image administration circuit for saving the
captured image in the computer readable medium at a second
resolution that is less than the first resolution if a preselected
time has elapsed since the captured image at a first resolution was
saved in the computer readable medium. In a further embodiment, the
image administration circuit for saving the captured image in the
computer readable medium at a second resolution that is less than
the first resolution if a condition is met includes an image
administration circuit for saving the captured image in the
computer readable medium at a second resolution that is less than
the first resolution if available storage space in the computer
readable medium is less than a preselected threshold. For example,
the available storage space in the computer readable medium may
include a presently available storage in the computer readable
medium that is less than a preselected threshold, and/or predicted
availability of storage in the computer readable medium that is
less than a preselected threshold.
In another embodiment, the image administration circuit 730 for
saving the captured image in the computer readable medium at a
second resolution that is less than the first resolution if a
condition is met includes an image administration circuit for
saving the captured image in the computer readable medium at a
second resolution that is less than the first resolution if a
condition established by a user is met. The condition established
by a user may include a user-selected condition, a user-created
condition, and/or a user-determined condition. In a further
embodiment, the image administration circuit for saving the
captured image in the computer readable medium at a second
resolution that is less than the first resolution if a condition is
met includes an image administration circuit for saving the
captured image in the computer readable medium at a second
resolution that is less than the first resolution if an image
resolution changing criterion established by a storage
administration criterion is met. In an embodiment, the storage
administration criterion may correspond to image content, image
content attributes, time, storage space, presence and/or absence of
a selected subject, a frequent presence of a selected subject in
other saved captured images, an at least substantial similarity to
other saved captured images, and/or an at least substantial
similarity to other saved captured images having a commonality;
such as recently captured, captured in a time frame, and/or
captured in temporal or spatial proximity. For example, a storage
administration criterion may include keeping only one high
resolution saved captured image of my son from all those captured
during the month of December. In another example, a storage
administration criterion may include keeping, i.e., not deceasing
the resolution of sufficient images to enable some task or goal,
such as keeping just enough images to construct a panorama, to
create a high dynamic range composite, and/or an infinite depth of
field image.
In an embodiment, the image administration circuit 730 for saving
the captured image in the computer readable medium at a second
resolution that is less than the first resolution if a condition is
met includes an image administration circuit for saving the
captured image in the computer readable medium at a second
resolution that is less than the first resolution if a condition
corresponding to data received from another digital device is met.
In another embodiment, the image administration circuit for saving
the captured image in the computer readable medium at a second
resolution that is less than the first resolution if a condition is
met includes an image administration circuit for saving the
captured image in the computer readable medium at a second
resolution that is less than the first resolution if a condition
responsive to an examination of at least one other captured image
saved in the computer readable medium is met. In a further
embodiment, the another digital device includes an image
acquisition module operable to capture an image. In another
embodiment, the device includes a digital camera. In a further
embodiment, the device includes a handheld digital camera.
In an embodiment, the an image administration circuit 730 further
includes an image administration circuit for saving the captured
image in the computer readable medium at a third resolution that is
less than the second resolution and removing from the computer
readable medium the captured image saved at the second resolution,
if another condition is met.
FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary operational flow 800. After a
start operation, a storage operation 810 saves a photograph in a
computer readable medium, the photograph being written in a first
digital file having a first file size and an availability to a
user. For example, in an embodiment, after a raw image is
processed, data representative of the photograph is written into a
semi-permanent or permanent storage medium for a later retrieval. A
reduction operation 830 saves the photograph in a second digital
file having a second and smaller file size than the first file
size, and removes the first digital file having a first file size
from the computer readable medium, both if a condition is met. The
operational flow then proceeds to an end operation.
In an embodiment, a photograph may include a single picture of a
scene, a stream of pictures of a scene that may be static or
dynamic, and/or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the
image acquisition module operable to capture an image includes an
image acquisition module operable to capture at least one of a
visual picture, a sound, and/or a combination thereof.
FIG. 12 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow 800 of FIG. 11. The storage operation 810 may
include at least one additional operation. The at least one
additional operation may include an operation 812 and/or an
operation 814. At the operation 812, the saving a photograph in a
computer readable medium includes a saving at least one of a single
scene, a stream of scenes, and/or a combination of a single scene
and a stream of scenes in the computer readable medium. The
operation 814 saves a photograph in a computer readable medium
associated with a device that took the photograph. The operation
814 may include at least one additional operation, such as the
operation 816. The operation 816 saves a photograph in a computer
readable medium associated with a handheld digital camera that took
the photograph.
FIG. 13 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow 800 of FIG. 11. The reduction operation 830 may
include at least one additional operation. The at least one
additional operation may include an operation 832, an operation
834, and operation 836, an operation 838 and/or an operation 839.
The operation 832 saves the photograph at a resolution that results
in a second and smaller file size than when written in the first
digital file having a first file size. The operation 834 saves the
photograph in a second digital file using a compression algorithm
that results in a smaller second file size than the first file
size. The operation 836 removes the first digital file having a
first file size from the computer readable medium by at least one
of sending the first digital file having a first file size to
another computer readable medium, and/or deleting the first digital
file having a first file size from the computer readable medium.
For example, the first digital file may be removed from the
computer readable medium and sent to another computer readable
medium. The another computer readable medium may be permanently or
removably associated with an electronic device that is also
associated with the computer readable medium, such as a flash
memory card or an external hard drive. Alternatively, the another
computer readable medium may be permanently or removably associated
with another electronic device, such as a computing device or
digital camera. The operation 838 saves the photograph in a second
digital file having a second and smaller file size than the first
file size in response to at least one of a temporal parameter, an
absence of a predetermined amount of available storage space, a
user established parameter, and/or a parameter established by a
storage management algorithm. For example, a temporal parameter may
include an elapsed time since the photograph was taken, or last
viewed. An absence of a predetermined amount of available storage
space may include less than a percentage of the computer readable
medium being available for a storage of new data; e.g., less than
10% of a flash memory card being available. Alternatively, the
absence of a predetermined amount of available storage space may
include less than a preselected storage capacity being available,
such as 500 KB, or 1 MB. A storage management algorithm may include
an algorithm that characterizes factors that limit the amount of
photographs, and alternatively other files, that may be saved on
the computer readable medium, and manages the size of at least one
of the digital files. The operation 839 saves the photograph in a
second digital file having a second and smaller file size than the
first file size if a condition responsive to an examination of at
least one other captured image saved in the computer readable
medium is met.
FIG. 14 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow 800 of FIG. 11. The exemplary operational flow may
include at least one additional operation, such as another
reduction operation 850. If another condition is met, the another
reduction operation saves the photograph in a third digital file at
a third and smaller file size than the second file size and removes
the second file having a second file size from the computer
readable medium.
FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary operational flow 900. After a
start operation, the exemplary operational flow moves to a first
storage operation 910. The first storage operation saves a first
image at a first resolution of the first image in a user-accessible
data structure. A second storage operation 920 saves a second image
at a first resolution of the second image in the user-accessible
data structure. If a condition is met, a degradation operation 930
saves in the user-accessible data structure the first image at a
second resolution of the first image that is a lesser resolution
than the first resolution of the first image, and removes from the
user-accessible data structure the first image saved at the first
resolution of the first image. In an embodiment, the degradation
operation 930 may be performed before or after the second storage
operation. The operational flow then moves to an end operation.
FIG. 16 illustrates another embodiment of the exemplary operational
flow 900 of FIG. 15. The exemplary operational flow may include at
least one additional operation. An additional operation may include
a third storage operation 940. The third storage operation 940
includes saving in the user-accessible data structure a third image
at a first resolution of the third image. If a second condition is
met, the third storage operation also includes saving in the
user-accessible data structure a third resolution of the first
image that is lesser resolution than the second resolution of the
first image, and removing from the user-accessible data structure
the first image saved at the second resolution of the first
image.
FIG. 17 illustrates a further embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow 900 of FIG. 15. The exemplary operational flow may
include at least one another additional operation. Another
additional operation may include another third storage operation
962. If a second condition is met, the another third storage
operation includes saving in the user-accessible data structure a
third resolution of the first image that is lesser resolution than
the second resolution of the first image, and removing from the
user-accessible data structure the first image saved at the second
resolution of the first image. The operation 962 may include at
least one additional operation, such as the operation 964. If a
third condition is met, the operation 964 saves in the
user-accessible data structure the second image at a second
resolution of the second image that is a lesser resolution than
first resolution of the second image, and removes from the
user-accessible data structure the second image saved at the first
resolution of the second image.
FIG. 18 illustrates a further embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow 900 of FIG. 15. The exemplary operational flow may
include at least one further additional operation. A further
additional operation may include an operation 966. If a second
condition is met, the operation 966 saves in the user-accessible
data structure the first image at a third resolution of the first
image that is a lesser resolution than the second resolution of the
first image, and removes from the user-accessible data structure
the first image saved at the second resolution of the first image.
Also if the second condition is met, the operation 966 saves in the
user-accessible data structure the second image at a second
resolution of the second image that is a lesser resolution than
first resolution of the second image, and removing from the
user-accessible data structure the second image saved at the first
resolution of the second image.
FIG. 19 illustrates another embodiment of the exemplary operational
flow 900 of FIG. 15. The exemplary operational flow may include at
least one further additional operation. A further additional
operation may include an operation 968, which comprises an
operation 986A and an operation 968B. At the operation 968A, the
saving in a user-accessible data structure a first image at a first
resolution of the first image includes saving in a user-accessible
data structure a first image of a real-world scene at a first
resolution of the first image. At the operation 968B, saving in the
user-accessible data structure a second image at a first resolution
of the second image includes saving in the user-accessible data
structure a second image of a real-world scene at a first
resolution of the second image.
FIGS. 20A-D illustrates an embodiment 870 of the exemplary
operational flow 800 of FIG. 16. The embodiment 870 of the
exemplary operational flow 800 is described using the exemplary
system 300 and digital camera 310 of FIG. 3 as an example. In
operation of an embodiment of the digital camera 310, a user may
compose a first picture/image by orientating the lens 360 toward a
subject in a first scene. The user may communicate their
preferences about the first composed picture to the digital camera
using elements of the user interface 370. Upon shutter activation,
an imaging chip of the image acquisition module 320 generates
electrical signals corresponding to the first picture/image in a
raw format. A processing unit 350 and/or an image management module
330 of the digital camera decodes and/or processes the first image
in the raw format into a format, such as a JPEG format, a GIF
format, a TIFF format, or a PDF format. The decoding and/or
processing typically involves the system memory 355 of FIG. 3. The
image management module 330 then saves the first image 972 in a
post-decoded/processed format, such as the JPEG format, at a first
resolution of the first image in a user-accessible data structure,
illustrated as the user-accessible data structure 340 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 20A illustrates the first image in the post-decoded/processed
format saved in a file at a first resolution of the first image in
the user-accessible data structure 980, such as the JPEG format. In
an alternative embodiment, the first image may be saved in a raw
format in the user-accessible data structure.
For a second image, the user may compose a second picture/image by
orientating the lens 360 toward a subject in a second scene as
above. The image management module 330 saves the second image 974
at a first resolution of the second image in the computer readable
medium 980. FIG. 20A illustrates the second image in a
post-decoded/processed format in a saved file at a first resolution
of the second image in the user-accessible data structure, such as
a JPEG format.
FIG. 20B further illustrates an embodiment that may be implemented
at any time, such as before the second image is saved at a first
resolution of the second image or thereafter. If a first condition
is met, the first image 972 is saved in the user-accessible data
structure 980 at a second resolution of the first image that is a
lesser resolution than the first resolution of the first image.
Also if the first condition is met, the first image saved at the
first resolution of the first image is removed from the
user-accessible data structure. The first condition may include any
condition described in this document. An exemplary first condition
may include an absence of a predetermined amount of available
storage space in the user-accessible data structure.
For a third image, the user may compose a third picture/image by
orientating the lens 360 toward a subject in a third scene as
above. The image management module 330 saves the third image 976 at
a first resolution of the third image in the computer readable
medium 980. FIG. 20C illustrates the third image in a
post-decoded/processed format in a saved file at a first resolution
of the third image in the user-accessible data structure, such as a
JPEG format.
FIG. 20D illustrates an embodiment that may be implemented at any
time, such as before the third image 976 is saved at a first
resolution of the third image or thereafter. If a second condition
is met, the first image 972 is saved in the user-accessible data
structure 980 at a third resolution of the first image that is a
lesser resolution than the second resolution of the first image.
Also if the first condition is met, the first image saved at the
second resolution of the first image is removed from the
user-accessible data structure. The second condition may include
any condition described in this document.
FIG. 20D also illustrates another embodiment that may be
implemented at any time, such as before the third image 976 is
saved at a first resolution of the third image or thereafter. If a
third condition is met, the second image 974 is saved in the
user-accessible data structure 980 at a second resolution of the
second image that is a lesser resolution than the first resolution
of the second image. Also if the second condition is met, the
second image saved at the second resolution of the second image is
removed from the user-accessible data structure. The second
condition may include any condition described in this document.
In an embodiment, the first image 972, the second image 974, and/or
the third image 976 may be saved in a digital photo album of images
and/or a collection of digital images 985 in the user-accessible
data structure. In another embodiment, the first image 972, the
second image 974, and/or the third image 976 may be received from a
source that may or may not have captured the images. These received
images may be saved and managed as described in conjunction with
FIGS. 16-19.
FIG. 21 illustrates an exemplary device 1000 in which embodiments
may be implemented. The exemplary device includes means 1005 for
saving a captured image at resolution in a computer readable medium
and in a user-accessible form. The exemplary device 1010 also
includes means 1010 for decreasing the resolution of the saved
captured image in the computer readable medium if a condition is
met.
FIG. 22 illustrates another exemplary device 1030 in which
embodiments may be implemented. The exemplary device includes means
1035 for saving a photograph in a computer readable medium, the
photograph being saved in a first digital file having a first file
size and availability to a human user. The exemplary device also
includes means 1040 for saving the photograph in a second digital
file having a second and smaller file size than the first file size
and removing the first digital file having a first file size from
the computer readable medium, if a condition is met.
FIG. 23 illustrates a further exemplary device 1060 in which
embodiments may be implemented. The exemplary device includes means
1065 for saving a first image at a first resolution in a
user-accessible data structure. The exemplary device also includes
means 1070 for saving a second image at a first resolution of the
second image in the user-accessible data structure. The exemplary
device further includes means 1080 for saving in the
user-accessible data structure the first image at a second
resolution of the first image that is a lesser resolution than the
first resolution of the first image and removing from the
user-accessible data structure the first image saved at the first
resolution of the first image if a first condition is met.
FIG. 24 illustrates an exemplary operational flow 1100 in which
embodiments may be implemented. After a start operation, the
exemplary operational flow moves to a hold operation 1110. The hold
operation saves a digital image in a form in a user-accessible
storage medium. A change operation 1120 alters the form of the
saved digital image if a condition is met. The operational flow
then proceeds to an end operation.
FIG. 25 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow 1100 of FIG. 24. The change operation 1120 may
include at least one additional operation. The at least one
additional operation may include an operation 1122, an operation
1124, an operation 1126, and/or an operation 1128. If a condition
is met, the operation 1122 compresses the saved digital image. If a
condition is met, the operation 1124 reduces a resolution of the
saved digital image. If a condition is met, the operation 1126
reduces a resolution of the saved digital image sufficiently to
meet a selected objective. For example, the selected objective may
include a preselected objective or a substantially
contemporaneously selected objective. By way of another example, a
selected objective may include constructing a panorama that
includes the digital image, creating a high dynamic range composite
that includes the digital image, and/or a selected depth of field.
If a condition is met, the operation 1128 aggregates the saved
digital image with another digital image.
FIG. 26 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow 1100 of FIG. 24. The change operation 1120 may
include at least one additional operation. The at least one
additional operation may include an operation 1132, an operation
1134, an operation 1136, and/or an operation 1138. If a condition
is met, the operation 1132 archives the saved digital image to
another user-accessible storage medium. If a condition is met, the
operation 1134 deletes the saved digital image. If a condition is
met, the operation 1136 crops the saved digital image. If a
condition is met, the operation 1138 transfers the saved digital
image to another user-accessible storage medium.
FIG. 27 illustrates a further alternative embodiment of the
exemplary operational flow 1100 of FIG. 24. The change operation
1120 may include at least one additional operation. The at least
one additional operation may include an operation 1142, an
operation 1144, an operation 1146, and/or an operation 1148. If a
condition is met, the operation 1142 alters the form of the saved
digital image if the saved digital image includes a presence of a
selected subject. If a condition is met, the operation 1144 alters
the form of the saved digital image if the saved digital image does
not include a presence of a selected subject. If a condition is
met, the operation 1146 alters the form of the saved digital image
if the saved digital image includes a presence of a selected
subject having a presence in at least one other digital image saved
in the user-accessible storage medium. For example, a presence of a
selected subject may include a selected frequency of a presence of
a selected subject. If a condition is met, the operation 1148
alters the form of the saved digital image if the saved digital
image includes a selected subject absent from at least one other
digital image saved in the user-accessible storage medium.
FIG. 28 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow 1100 of FIG. 24. The change operation 1120 may
include at least one additional operation, such as the operation
1152. If a condition is met, the operation 1152 alters the form of
the saved digital image if a condition corresponding to a
user-selected objective. For example, a user-selected objective may
include limiting saved images of my cat in an album or in the
computer readable medium to X saved images, and/or saving the
digital image to a contact sheet of exemplars and/or thumbnail
display if more than Y pictures of subject Z are saved in the
computer readable medium. The operational flow 1100 may include at
least one additional operation, such as the operation 1160. If a
condition is met, the operation 1160 further alters the form of the
saved digital image.
FIG. 29 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the exemplary
operational flow 1100 of FIG. 24. An additional operation may
include an operation 1154, which comprises an operation 1154A and
an operation 1154B. At the operation 1154A, the saving a digital
image in a form in a user-accessible storage medium includes saving
a digital image acquired at a first time in a form in a
user-accessible storage medium. The digital image acquired at a
first time may include a digital image captured at a first time or
a digital image saved at a first time. At the operation 1154B, the
altering the form of the saved digital image if a condition is met
includes altering the form of the saved digital image acquired at a
first time if the saved digital image includes a presence of a
selected subject also having a presence in at least one other
digital image saved in the user-accessible storage medium and
acquired within a preselected time of the first time.
FIG. 30 illustrates an exemplary system 1200 in which embodiments
may be implemented. The exemplary system includes a device 1210.
The device includes a processing unit, such as the processing unit
350 of FIG. 3, a system memory, such as the system memory 355 of
FIG. 3, a storage medium manager module 1230, and a user-accessible
digital storage medium, illustrated as the user-accessible digital
storage media 1240. In an alternative embodiment, the device may
include an image acquisition module, such as the image acquisition
module 320 of FIG. 3; a lens, such as the lens 360 of FIG. 3;
and/or a user interface, such as the user interface 370 of FIG.
3.
The storage medium manager module 1230 is operable to save a
digital image in a form in the user-accessible digital storage
medium 1240. The storage medium manager module is also operable to
alter the form of the saved digital image if a condition is met.
The condition may include at least one of clarifying condition, a
user-defined condition, an informed condition, an evaluated
condition, and/or a computed condition. An informed condition may
include a condition that employs obtained information, in contrast
to a condition running autonomously or an uninformed condition. An
evaluated condition may include a condition evaluated in response
to an internal condition, an external condition, and/or both
conditions. A computed condition may include any computed
condition, in contrast with a standing condition and/or a normal or
native condition related to the digital image and/or the storage
medium.
In an embodiment, the storage medium manager module 1230 operable
to save a digital image in a form in the user-accessible digital
storage medium 1240 includes a storage medium manager module
operable to save a digital image of a real-world event in a form in
the user-accessible digital storage medium. In another embodiment,
the user-accessible digital storage medium includes a
user-accessible digital storage medium associated with a digital
camera operable to capture the digital image. In a further
embodiment, the device 1210 further includes the processing unit
350. In another embodiment, the storage medium manager module
further includes a storage medium manager module operable to
provide the altered form of the saved digital image.
An embodiment provides a computer program product. The computer
program product includes a computer-readable signal-bearing medium
bearing program instructions. The program instructions include
instructions operable to perform a process in a computing device.
The process includes saving a digital image in a form in a
user-accessible storage medium, and altering the form of the saved
digital image if a condition is met. The computer-readable
signal-bearing medium bearing the program instructions may include
a computer-storage medium bearing the program instructions. The
computer-readable signal-bearing medium bearing the program
instructions may include a communications medium bearing the
program instructions.
Another embodiment provides a device. The device includes means for
saving a digital image in a form in the digital storage medium. The
device also includes means for altering the form of the saved
digital image if a condition is met.
A further embodiment provides a method. The method includes saving
a captured image in a user-accessible memory. The method also
includes deallocating at least a portion of the user-accessible
memory associated with the saved captured image if a condition is
met. In an embodiment, the saving a captured image into a
user-accessible memory includes saving a captured image at a
resolution into a user-accessible memory. In another embodiment,
the deallocating at least a portion of the user-accessible memory
associated with the saved captured image if a condition is met
includes deallocating at least a portion of the user-accessible
memory associated with the saved captured image if a condition is
met. In a further embodiment, the deallocating at least a portion
of the user-accessible memory associated with the saved captured
image if a condition is met includes deallocating at least a
portion of the user-accessible memory associated with the saved
captured image if a condition is met that includes at least one of
a clarifying condition, a user-defined condition, an informed
condition, an evaluated condition, and/or a computed condition.
An embodiment provides a device. The device includes a memory and a
memory manager. The memory manager includes operability to save a
captured image into a user-accessible memory. The memory manager
also includes operability to deallocate at least a portion of the
memory associated with the resolution if a condition is met.
Another embodiment provides a device. The device includes first
means for a holding user-accessible digital data representative of
an image. The device also includes second means for saving
user-accessible digital data representative of an image in the
first means. The device further includes third means for altering
the saved user-accessible digital data representative of the saved
digital image if a condition is met.
A further embodiment provides a computer program product. The
computer program product includes a computer-readable
signal-bearing medium bearing program instructions. The program
instructions are operable to perform a process in a computing
device. The process includes saving a captured image in a memory
and in a user-accessible form. The process also includes
deallocating at least a portion of the memory associated with the
saved captured image if a condition is met. The computer-readable
signal-bearing medium bearing the program instructions may include
a computer-storage medium bearing the program instructions. The
computer-readable signal-bearing medium bearing the program
instructions may include a communications medium bearing the
program instructions.
An embodiment provides a method. The method includes directing
digital data representative of an image to a managed means for
holding the digital data representative of an image. The method
also includes accepting modified digital data representative of the
image, the digital data representative of the image having been
modified by deallocating at least a portion of the digital data
representative of the image by the managed means for holding
digital data upon occurrence of a condition.
Those having skill in the art will recognize that the state of the
art has progressed to the point where there is little distinction
left between hardware and software implementations of aspects of
systems; the use of hardware or software is generally (but not
always, in that in certain contexts the choice between hardware and
software can become significant) a design choice representing cost
versus efficiency tradeoffs. Those having skill in the art will
appreciate that there are various vehicles by which processes
and/or systems and/or other technologies described herein can be
effected (e.g., hardware, software, and/or firmware), and that the
preferred vehicle may vary with the context in which the processes
and/or systems and/or other technologies are deployed. For example,
if an implementer determines that speed and accuracy are paramount,
the implementer may opt for a mainly hardware and/or firmware
vehicle; alternatively, if flexibility is paramount, the
implementer may opt for a mainly software implementation; or, yet
again alternatively, the implementer may opt for some combination
of hardware, software, and/or firmware. Hence, there are several
possible vehicles by which the processes and/or devices and/or
other technologies described herein may be effected, none of which
is inherently superior to the other in that any vehicle to be
utilized is a choice dependent upon the context in which the
vehicle may be deployed and the specific concerns (e.g., speed,
flexibility, or predictability) of the implementer, any of which
may vary. Those skilled in the art will recognize that optical
aspects of implementations will require optically-oriented
hardware, software, and or firmware.
The foregoing detailed description has set forth various
embodiments of the devices and/or processes via the use of block
diagrams, flow diagrams, operation diagrams, flowcharts,
illustrations, and/or examples. Insofar as such block diagrams,
operation diagrams, flowcharts, illustrations, and/or examples
contain one or more functions and/or operations, it will be
understood by those within the art that each function and/or
operation within such block diagrams, operation diagrams,
flowcharts, illustrations, or examples can be implemented,
individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware,
software, firmware, or virtually any combination thereof. In one
embodiment, several portions of the subject matter described herein
may be implemented via Application Specific Integrated Circuits
(ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal
processors (DSPs), or other integrated formats. However, those
skilled in the art will recognize that some aspects of the
embodiments disclosed herein, in whole or in part, can be
equivalently implemented in standard integrated circuits, as one or
more computer programs running on one or more computers (e.g., as
one or more programs running on one or more computer systems), as
one or more programs running on one or more processors (e.g., as
one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors), as
firmware, or as virtually any combination thereof, and that
designing the circuitry and/or writing the code for the software
and or firmware would be well within the skill of one of skill in
the art in light of this disclosure. In addition, those skilled in
the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the subject matter
described herein are capable of being distributed as a program
product in a variety of forms, and that an illustrative embodiment
of the subject matter described herein applies equally regardless
of the particular type of signal bearing media used to actually
carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearing media
include, but are not limited to, the following: recordable type
media such as floppy disks, hard disk drives, CD ROMs, digital
tape, and computer memory; and transmission type media such as
digital and analog communication links using TDM or IP based
communication links (e.g., packet links).
It will be understood by those within the art that, in general,
terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g.,
bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as "open"
terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as
"including but not limited to," the term "having" should be
interpreted as "having at least," the term "includes" should be
interpreted as "includes but is not limited to," etc.). It will be
further understood by those within the art that if a specific
number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an
intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence
of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an
aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain
usage of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more"
to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases
should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim
recitation by the indefinite articles "a" or "an" limits any
particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to
inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same
claim includes the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least
one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and/or
"an" should typically be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one
or more"); the same holds true for the use of definite articles
used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a
specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly
recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such
recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the
recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of "two recitations,"
without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations,
or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where
a convention analogous to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is
used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one
having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., "a
system having at least one of A, B, and C" would include but not be
limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B
together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C
together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to
"at least one of A, B, or C, etc." is used, in general such a
construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art
would understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least
one of A, B, or C" would include but not be limited to systems that
have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together,
B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.).
The herein described aspects depict different components contained
within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be
understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary,
and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which
achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any
arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is
effectively "associated" such that the desired functionality is
achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a
particular functionality can be seen as "associated with" each
other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective
of architectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two
components so associated can also be viewed as being "operably
connected," or "operably coupled," to each other to achieve the
desired functionality. Any two components capable of being so
associated can also be viewed as being "operably couplable" to each
other to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples of
operably couplable include but are not limited to physically
mateable and/or physically interacting components and/or wirelessly
interactable and/or wirelessly interacting components.
While particular aspects of the present subject matter described
herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those
skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes
and modifications may be made without departing from this subject
matter described herein and its broader aspects and, therefore, the
appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such
changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope
of this subject matter described herein. Furthermore, it is to be
understood that the invention is defined by the appended
claims.
* * * * *
References